Daehoon Lee
Daehoon Lee
Daehoon Lee poses with Sae-Ryo Kim, UNHCR Korea Representative in Busan after signing his welcome letter and being officially appointed as a UNHCR high profile supporter.
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About Daehoon Lee
Daehoon Lee, prominent taekwondo athlete and former national team member of the Republic of Korea, has been a high profile supporter of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, since 2026.
A two-time Olympic medalist and three-time World Champion, Lee is widely regarded as one of the greatest taekwondo athletes of his generation.
Beyond his achievements in sport, Lee is committed to using his voice and influence to create positive social impact. He believes in the power of sport to inspire hope, build resilience and bring people together across cultures and borders.
Through my involvement in UNHCR's campaigns and social media initiatives, I have come to feel a deep sense of responsibility in sharing refugees' stories. As a UNHCR high profile supporter, I hope to be a strong voice for refugee children and youth, helping them heal through sport and move confidently toward a brighter future.
UNHCR activity
Daehoon Lee greets fans during a signing event at Connect Hyundai CheongJu. Lee visited the venue to support UNHCR Korea’s on-site face-to-face fundraising activities.
Daehoon Lee signs an autograph during an autograph-signing event at IKEA Goyang.
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Lee's involvement with UNHCR was inspired by a young refugee taekwondo athlete from Jordan's Azraq refugee camp, who trained by watching videos of Lee's competitions despite having limited internet access. Through UNHCR, Lee sent the young athlete a video message of encouragement, and the two later met at the World Taekwondo Championships as a member of the World Taekwondo Athletes’ Committee and a competing athlete, respectively. Witnessing the athlete go on to compete on the Olympic stage as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team inspired Lee to become a committed advocate for refugee youth.
Lee's appointment builds on his longstanding support for UNHCR's humanitarian work. He has participated in campaigns supporting the protection of forcibly displaced people and collaborated with UNHCR to make refugee issues more accessible to the public.
“Meeting the young refugee athlete who told me he had dreamed of becoming a taekwondo athlete while watching my matches and later seeing him proudly compete as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team made me realize how taekwondo can represent hope for people forced to flee," said Daehoon.